Live Simply – Autumn newsletter 2018

Levels of food waste in the UK continue to be a scandal, costing around £20 billion annually. All UK supermarkets have made a “transformational” pledge to halve food waste by 2030. In total 90 retailers, manufacturers, producers, hospitality and restaurant chains across Britain have signed up. This is not just a corporate problem, as individuals we must play our part. Buy sensibly, use up leftovers creatively and freeze food where you can. Do you have any other tips on limiting food waste? Please let us know.

LiveSustainably

While there’s real momentum behind various campaigns to address plastic waste, it’s important to maintain pressure. The Greenpeace campaign to eliminate pointless plastic encasing supermarket productsasks shoppers to take a photo when they spot excessive plastic packaging and via Twitter to tweet the photo using the#PointlessPlastichashtag and naming the supermarket. Other social media channels can be used on the same basis and/or email the photo to Greenpeace at packaging.uk@greenpeace.org

Live In Solidarity

Busting some Fairtrade Myths – no.3.Only a small percentage of the price we pay for a Fairtrade product goes back to the farmer.

Not so. The retail price consumers pay is determined entirely by the retailer. The way Fairtrade works is that the producer organisation receives the Fairtrade price at the point where they sell to the next person in the supply chain (usually an exporter or importer). This is intended to ensure farmers can cover their costs no matter how low the world price for their commodity falls.Always look out for the Fairtrade brand – and resist the move by some retailers to switch to untested alternative schemes.

Traidcraft – fighting for survival

Traidcraft, the organisation which sells the best of fair trade, runs life-changing development projects and campaigns to bring about trade justice, is struggling. Poor trading performance has led Traidcraft plc’s Board of Directors to close loss-making operations. At present Traidcraft UK is trading as usual and has launched an attractive autumn craft collection produced by artisans worldwide. While the company focuses on its future, supporters are urged to continue to shop online athttps://www.traidcraftshop.co.uk/ and to share thoughts about their future mission at lovetraidcraft@traidcraft.co.uk

livesimply prayer

Pope Francis

Compassionate and loving God,you created the world for us all to share,a world of beauty and plenty.Create in us a desire to live simply,so that our lives may reflect your generosity.

Creator God,You gave us responsibility for the earth,a world of riches and delight.Create in us a desire to live sustainably,So that those who follow after usMay enjoy the fruits of your creation.

God of peace and justice,you give us the capacity to change,to bring about a world that mirrors your wisdom.Create in us a desire to act in solidarity,so that the pillars of injustice crumbleand those now crushed are set free.Amen.

Living Eucharist

It is extraordinary what Luke squeezes into the opening verses of Acts – accounts of Ascension and Pentecost; descriptions of model church administration and life, and powerful (and effective) preaching – together with perhaps a joke (omitted from our reading this Sunday). Life in the Church is most certainly not boring. It is alive and […]

The Lectionary compilers were evidently attracted to the use of this psalm for the feast of Pentecost because of how it speaks of the positive work of the (Holy) Spirit and the consequences of the (potential?) withdrawal of the Spirit. The text, particularly when filleted down for the Lectionary, bears that interpretation but the ruah […]

Paul had all sorts of problems with the Church at Corinth! Factionalism manifested itself in all sorts of ways. Factionalism which turned people in on themselves and away from Christ. Spiritual pride afflicted some of those who possessed particular spiritual gifts – and used them to puff themselves up, rather than humbly, quietly, for the […]